Pedro Almodovar Cancels Press for New Film After Panama Papers Mention

'Julieta' is due in theaters throughout Spain on Friday.

Pedro Almodovar canceled Wednesday’s screenings, rounds of press interviews with the director and other promotional activity for his upcoming Julieta, scheduled for release in Spain on Friday, citing the uproar over the Panama Papers.

“Given the newsworthiness of issues unrelated to Julieta, we at El Deseo have decided to cancel the photocall and the junket scheduled for tomorrow,” Almodovar's production house announced. Almodovar canceled all his interviews, but the cast will still be available this week for interviews.

Pedro and his brother Agustin Almodovar are listed in the unprecedented leak of 11.5 million files from the database of the fourth-biggest offshore law firm, Mossack Fonseca.

The files show the Almodovars held an offshore company from 1991-1994, managed by Mossack Fonseca. The dates coincide with the Spanish director’s first successes, Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down — which grossed €3.1 million in 1990 — and 1991’s High Heels, with earnings of €5.2 million.

In a release Monday, Agustin Almodovar took full responsibility for the offshore company as the business partner in the production company.

“From the first moments of founding El Deseo, Pedro and I divided up responsibilities in a very clear way. I took control of everything related to business management and he was dedicated to all creative aspects,” the producer said. “I deeply regret the damage my brother’s public image is suffering, caused exclusively due to my lack of experience in the first years of our family business.”

This is not the first setback Julieta has endured. Almodovar changed the name of the feature film in November from Silencio to avoid confusion with Martin Scorsese’s Silence.

Emma Suarez and Ariadna Ugarte star in the iconoclastic director’s return to the cinema of great female protagonists.